Emergency crews carried out more than 50 interventions in Alicante after overnight downpours flooded garages and disrupted traffic. All 13 people rescued from the motorway tunnel were in good condition.
A storm dumped about 50 litres of rain per square metre in less than 45 minutes in Pilar de la Horadada, turning the town’s urban rambla into a torrent. During the night of 19 and 20 October 2026, water flooded the AP-7 tunnel and rose to about 1.5 metres, trapping 13 people in seven vehicles, particularly on the carriageway towards Cartagena. The Guardia Civil received a report of the flooding at around 23:00.
Guardia Civil officers and municipal police took part in the rescue, with Protección Civil also assisting. Some people got out of their vehicles and made their way through water reaching chest height. The rescued group was taken to the town’s municipal shelter for assistance and health checks; all were found to be in good condition. An orange weather warning from Aemet was in force during the storm.
The AP-7 remained closed after the floodwater receded because crews had to remove mud and stranded vehicles. They pumped out water and cleaned the tunnel, and cars were retrieved. The road operator, Ausur, planned to reopen the carriageway towards Alicante on 21 October, while the reopening time for the direction of Cartagena remained uncertain. The Dirección General de Tráfico indicated that the parallel N-332 could be used as a detour. Pilar de la Horadada mayor José María Pérez said he would again seek closure of the tunnel whenever an orange weather warning is issued.
Alicante city recorded more than 50 interventions by firefighters and Local Police after rainfall from 23:00 on 19 October to 03:00 on 20 October. Municipal reports said the main calls concerned road closures and water entering homes and commercial premises. Rain gauges operated by the University of Alicante and FGV La Marina, as well as Tabarca, recorded around 50 litres per square metre. Totals exceeded 60 litres per square metre in Sant Joan, Santa Faz and La Albufereta.
In the Miriam Blasco area, a woman was evacuated from her vehicle and taken home. On Avenida de Elche, emergency services helped the occupants of five vehicles reach a safe area. In La Albufereta, officers also helped a man in his car after it began to float; he got out without assistance and was reported to be well.
Garages flooded, lifts stopped working and branches fell onto Tram tracks. The parking area at the San Rafael disability centre in Santa Faz was flooded, although its pedestrian access and interior remained unaffected. Alicante’s municipal authorities also reported closures affecting the Vial Flora de España underpass in La Albufereta, sections of Avenida de Elche, Pintor Pérez Gil and Diputado Antonio García Miralles, as well as roads towards La Alcoraya.
The storm also disrupted power to traffic lights and cameras; four technical teams were working on repairs on Tuesday morning. RUSSPAIN.COM has also covered a separate national civic issue in its report on housing protests in Spain. For Alicante, the Tuesday forecast called for no rain, with a gradual return to normal in the areas hit by the downpour.
